Effectiveness of a bio-catalytic agent used in the bioremediation of crude oil-polluted seawater

Abstract

Oil spillage contamination has been one of the most common and challenging problems in marine ecosystems over the years due to frequent petroleum exploitation, washing, and transportation activities. The use of nature-derived surfactants has become an attractive approach to restore the sites affected by oil spillage. Several studies have demonstrated that nutrient addition is an efficient strategy to enhance oil biodegradation since microorganisms can use petroleum hydrocarbons as their carbon and energy source, thus favoring and increasing the hydrocarbons degradation rate. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a commercial bio-catalytic agent used in the biological remediation of crude oil-contaminated sites through the qualitative analysis of its properties. The tests applied to this bio-catalyst showed excellent results. For instance, the emulsification (E24) and critical micellar concentration (CMC) assays displayed average values of 74.47% and 40 mg L−1, respectively. A significant reduction of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), turbidity, and Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon Content (TPHC) were observed in all the samples with bio-catalytic agent solution and aeration system. The best water quality was achieved by the sample with the highest concentration (10000 ppm) of bio-catalytic agent solution. It displayed a Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon removal efficiency (RTPH) of 81.537% after 30 days of the remediation time.

Keywords

• Non-ionic surfactant
• Bioremediation
• Crude oil
• Seawater
• Bio-catalyst
• Environmental impacts